Firefighters cancer compensation bill passes SA upper house

Legislation put forward by the Greens to give firefighting volunteers automatic access to compensation for certain types of cancer has passed the upper house of the South Australian Parliament.

Labor members opposed the bill seeking to extend a compensation scheme which now applies to paid firefighters for cancers considered to stem from the dangers of their work.

The legislation was co-sponsored by the Liberals. It now is being debated in the House of Assembly.

Liberal MP Dan van Holst Pellakaan has told Parliament independent MP and Government minister Geoff Brock needs to break ranks with his Labor Cabinet colleagues and support the bill.

"He understands this issue and before the last election he was lock, step with us on this issue, lock, step with us on this issue of principle and I call on him to not change his principle. He said that if he joins the Labor Government he will not change his principles on regional development," he said.

The Government has been criticised for failing to give Country Fire Service volunteers (CFS) the same access to compensation as career firefighters.

It has been reviewing the issue and says it will decide later in the year whether to include CFS members in the scheme.